Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Kashmir: Cyclonic storm kills 1, injures 17, damages 8852 structures

Srinagar 20 March: A cyclonic wind storm, which started on Monday afternoon with an average speed of 24.7 knots and reached maximum speed of 40 knots continued to lash Valley on Tuesday, officials said.
They said the minimum temperature increased by 12 degrees above normal, due to steep pressure gradient over the Valley causing a wind storm, which resulted in damage to properties, in the Valley.
One person Muhammad Maqbool Magray son of Muhammad Ramzan of Kachnambal, Kangan died when a branch of Chinar tree fell on him.
Due to gusty winds many tourist were evacuated from Dal lake to the shore, for their safety and accommodated in alternate hotels by the QRT of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
At Pahalgam, a tree fell on a tourist hut resulting in damages to the hut. The tourist Sanjay Paul of Kolkotta received minor injury and was rescued and provided treatment at SDH Pahalgam and is safe.
Extensive damages have been reported to the LT/HT network across Valley. The 130 MW has been restored as against 900 MW. Work is in progress. All Deputy Commissioners have been asked to activate control rooms in their districts so that the rescue and relief can be coordinated.
At least 17 persons got injured, 29 residential houses got fully damaged, 6670 Partially/Severely, 2166 non-residential, 6 government buildings, and 10 house boats were partially damaged.
GK

Schools throughout Kashmir have been closed as the unprecedented windstorm kept residents on tenterhooks. The administration has advised all its wings to remain in a state of maximum preparedness to meet the crisis.

A senior officer told Agence India Press that, hundreds of homes have been damaged because of the windstorm. Roofs have been blown away at many places; trees uprooted by the windstorm have blocked roads, damaged homes at other places.

"We are gathering information from different districts to assess the actual damage caused. No loss of life has so far been reported from anywhere in the valley.", he said.

The officer also said all district headquarters have been converted into emergency headquarters to meet the crisis.

Reports reaches to Agence India Press from Leh town of Ladakh region also said that the nightlong windstorm had created panic there.

The Met department has said the windstorm will recede by this afternoon.

Meanwhile UAE will continue to witness hazy weather conditions for the next few days, with wind speeds going up to 70km per hour, the National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) has said.

Temperatures have seen a steady decline over the past few days, with mercury dipping to 8°C in some areas of the country. The weatherman says “another fall in temperatures is expected” today, with “wind gradually decreasing during night over inland.”

Northwesterly winds may reach 70 km per hour at times in the country’s coastal and mountainous regions while in internal areas, they could go up to 50 km per hour according to the NCMS weather forecast.

A weather warning suggesting “strong northwesterly wind with blowing and in-suspension dust/sand causing significant poor visibility and very rough sea” has been issued by the NCMS for today.